Inverness, frequently referred to as being the capital city of the Scottish Highlands, was granted city status in 2001 and at the moment is the the only city to be found in the region. Uniquely Inverness has no legal boundaries which can cause problems with population assessments. The problems are made worse because the city’s population is on the increase, Inverness has the United Kingdom’s highest growth rate. One thing we can say for certain is that Inverness has a very happy population, in 2008 the Telegraph.co.uk ranked the city fifth out of 189 cities in the whole of the UK for its quality of life. Therefore we can safely say that Inverness is a pretty cool city in which to stay for some time and this is most probably one of the facts which make the city incredibly popular with tourists. Importantly there is a large number of bed and breakfasts in Inverness with the majority of it being available to book online.

Inverness is also often referred to as the gateway to the Scottish Highlands for the simple fact that it is the best place to make the most of the Highland public transport system and a considerable amount of tourist attractions are not too far away. Probably the best way to see them is by going on an organized bus tour or day trip. A few coach companies visiting places such as, Loch Ness, Culloden or Urquart Castle or for the more adventurous visitor you can to visit such places as Orkney in a day. There are also a small number of city tours, such as those run by City Sightseeing.

A small number of visitors stay in two locations in the Highlands of Scotland such as Inverness then Fort William. The town of Fort William is immensely popular with people who enjoy sports especially ramblers, rock climbers and hill walkers who get excited climbing Ben Nevis which is not too far from the town center. In a similar fashion to Inverness bed & breakfast accommodation in Fort William and like all bed & breakfast in Scotland it is commonly inexpensive, good value for money and extremely comfortable, clean and tidy with the best hospitality.

An important thing to remember is that Inverness’s airport is, about, seven miles from the city at Dalcross. It is possible hail a cab or catch a bus to the busy but small airport which is not too expensive. If you will be needing maps of the area then you will discover that they are free at the tourist office, on Castle Wynd in the town center. While you are staying in the city you should make a point to visit Inverness Castle, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, the Mercat Cross and ‘stone of tubs’ especially the Castle Garrison Encounter, an enjoyable interactive experience.

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